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Forsyth County Schools Gifted Program
Eligibility Criteria
Evaluation Procedures
In compliance with Georgia Department of Education Rule 160-4-2.38, evaluation data for all students referred is gathered in four areas, Mental Ability, Achievement, Creativity, and Motivation. To ensure equal access to gifted education services, evaluation measures for all students* are as follows:
Mental Ability - Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
Achievement - Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS, grades K-8)
Iowa Test of Educational Development (ITED, grades 9-12)
Creativity - Group Inventory for Finding creative Talent (GIFT, grades K – 3,)
Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT, grades 4-12)
Motivation -Hawthorne Gifted Evaluation Scale (GES-2, grades K-3)
Children’s Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (CAIMI, grades 4-5)
Grade Point Average (GPA, Top 10%, grades 6-12)
Additional follow-up evaluation may be requested by eligibility teams based on special circumstances and/or specific individual need as indicated by the initial evaluation results.
Option A: Student meets the eligible composite scores for both mental ability and achievement.
Data is still collected on each student in the areas of motivation and creativity.
Mental Ability / AchievementK- 2nd: 99th percentile on composite or full scale score of a standardized test of mental ability (CogAT)
3rd -12th: ≥96th percentile on composite or full scale score of a standardized test of mental ability (CogAT) / K-12: ≥90th percentile, by age or grade, on total reading, total math or total battery score of a standardized achievement test
(ITBS or ITED)
Option B –Student must meet criteria in three of the four areas; mental ability, achievement, creativity, or motivation to qualify.
Mental Ability / Achievement / Creativity / Motivation≥96th percentile, by age, on a composite or full scale score or appropriate component score of a standardized test of mental ability.
(CogAT) / ≥90th percentile on total reading, total math or total battery score of a standardized achievement test
(ITBS) / ≥90th percentile on the total battery of a standardized test of creativity
(K-3, GIFT)
(4-12, TTCT) / ≥90th percentile on a standardized characteristics rating score (motivational)
(K-3, GES-2)
(4-5, CAIMI)
(6-12, GPA, top 10%, currently >3.75 in FCS)
Test Scores from Outside Sources - Private Testing
Data gathered and analyzed by a source outside the school system may be considered; however, such data cannot be substituted for data generated by school system personnel for eligibility purposes. State regulations (Rule 160-4-7-.11) on the procedure for handling private testing state the following:
Assessment data which were gathered and analyzed by a source outside the student’s school
or school system must be considered as part of the nomination and evaluation process. However, these outside data shall not be substituted for data the school generates during the testing / evaluation process and may never be the sole source of assessment data. Systems shall never rely on them exclusively for determination of eligibility for gifted program services. Instead, outside test data may be used as part of a comprehensive profile of test and non-tests evidence of advanced instructional needs. If any system elects to use outside test data to help establish student’s eligibility, the local board of education shall collect and maintain statistical data which allow the Department of Education to evaluate the impact of this practice on the identification of gifted students from all ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
Eligibility Determination
Following an evaluation, data is reviewed by GiftedEligibility Teams comprised of gifted program teachers and other personnel as appropriate in each school. Eligibility decisions comply with Georgia Department of Education Rules 160-4-2-.38. Appeals by parents of eligibility team decisions may be directed to the Gifted Program Coordinator at the system level.
a) Parents of students who are eligible for service are mailed written notification
including copies of their child’s eligibility report and a Consent for Placement form to be signed and returned to the school. In addition,parent(s)/guardian(s) are offered an opportunity to meet to discuss the evaluation results and appropriate Service Delivery Options, including specific learner objectives, teaching methods to be used, and the amount of time to be spent in gifted education services. Additional information, including a general (HORIZONS) Program Description, the Continuation of Services Policy, and the Make Up Work Policy (Missed Assignments During Gifted Service (when applicable), is printed on the back of the Consent for Placement.
b)Parents of students who are not eligible for service are mailed written
notification, including copies of their child’s Eligibility Report / Evaluation Summary. In addition, parents are offered the opportunity to meet and discuss their child’s evaluation results. If the evaluation data indicates a need for instructional modifications, suggestions are given to the classroom teacher and the parent/guardian.
Appeals
Decisions of the Gifted Evaluation Team regarding placement recommendations may be appealed. This appeal can be initiated by anyone eligible to make a referral and must be submitted in writing to the Gifted Evaluation Team. The appeal should state the reason(s) for its submission. The Gifted Evaluation Team will consider the appeal and provide a decision in a timely manner. In the event there is not a resolution, appeals to the decision of the school team can be submitted in writing, stating the reason for the appeal and the decision of the school team, to the system gifted coordinator. Hopefully, this will resolve issues of concern. However, if there remain questions or concerns, appeals would then be filed with the Board of Education. The final step of an appeal is the State Department of Education.
Transfer Students
Eligibility of students who transfer into the school system is determined as follows:
A Within the State of Georgia (reciprocity)
Students transferring from a school system within Georgia, who have been identified per state criteria (Rule 160-4-2-.38), are eligible for services without further evaluation provided adequate documentation of eligibility is available and/or verifiable and the student meets local continuation criteria. Parent(s)/guardian(s) are notified to provide consent for placement. Parents are also offered an opportunity to meet to discuss appropriate Service Delivery Options and the local Continuation Policy.
A.Outside the State of Georgia (no reciprocity)
Students transferring from an out of state school system are referred to the gifted
program teacher for consideration as soon as records are available. Regular referral procedures are followed to determine the need for evaluation and/or eligibility for service. Note: Per Rule 160-4-2-.38 any test score used to establish eligibility shall be current and within two-calendar years.
B.Within Forsyth County Schools
Gifted students transferring from one school to another within ForsythCounty are
automatically placed in the gifted program of the receiving school unless they have been dismissed from the program. Student records are transferred to the enrolling school upon request. Additionally, program information can be found on Infinite Campus.
Revised 8/27/07